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As we'll see in later sections the central part of the middle cranial fossa is a specially busy area. Let's take a further look at it.
In the dry skull this hollow, the pituitary fossa, is partly enclosed by these four bony projections, the clinoid processes. In the living body the dura bridges over the roof of the pituitary fossa, leaving this round opening. The clinoid processes are here.
The pituitary fossa, which contains the pituitary gland, is lined with dura. Just lateral to the pituitary fossa is the cavernous sinus, which is hidden beneath the dura here.
This opening in the dura, which is for the trigeminal nerve, leads into a side cavity under here, the trigeminal cave, which is occupied by the trigeminal ganglion.